Today, we recognize and honor the many skilled tradespeople in our local for their essential skills and hard work in building and maintaining our schools and worksites. Tradespeople help with the upkeep, repair and maintenance of our schools. Our members rely on the skilled and dedicated tradespeople in our schools.
This is the perfect day to set aside a little time to learn about some famous people who got their start in the world by working with their hands. You probably don’t know it, but a few famous folks got their start in the trades. Women also have their own rich history in the trades. During WWII, 37% of the US workforce was female. Women worked in aviation, munitions, and other roles. Take a look at these people, for starters:
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Harrison Ford was a Carpenter
A carpenter by trade, this actor who portrayed Indiana Jones, needed to make a living and feed his family so he remodeled houses and built furniture. But when George Lucas offered him the role of Han Solo in Star Wars? Well, obviously he couldn’t turn it down.
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Winston Churchill was a Bricklayer
One of the most famous British Prime Ministers of all time, Churchill was a member of the Amalgamated Union of Bricklayers. In his spare time, he still built small creations, such as a garden wall, goldfish pond, and swimming pool.
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Whoopi Goldberg was a Builder
Under her given name Caryn Elaine Johnson, this now famous actress, comedian and personality was apparently building walls at the San Diego Zoo before she got her big break.
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Elvis Presley was an Electrician’s Apprentice
Sure, a lot of people know that this crooner was in the Army, but many people don’t know he also worked as an apprentice for an electrician for a time. Music was just something Elvis did in his spare time. Perhaps the guy he worked for appreciated hearing him sing while he worked?